The Mind

.......it’s a terrible thing to waste.

So often, we as coaches get so caught up in the “drill-and-kill” mentality.  We want that first touch to be perfect…we want the weight of the pass to be just right…we want the finisher to beat the keeper to the side netting…but what do you focus on when you feel that your team is ready for the next challenge?

Our players these days are growing up in an instant gratification environment.  Their phones can do as much or more than most computers and anything they want is at their fingertips.  The need for conceptual thinking is losing its role in their lives…and in the games they play.

As players progress technically, they must also progress tactically.  The “beautiful game” is truly about problem solving and an understanding of time and space…on a field in which time and space is changing every second.   It’s now not just about the first touch being perfect…it’s about the first touch being in a positive approach toward the second touch.  It’s not just about the weight of the pass being right…it’s about what can my teammate do with the pass that he/she is about to receive from me.  It’s not just about the finisher beating the keeper to the side netting…it’s about how that finisher was able to receive the ball in space to produce the ability to finish.

As you begin to focus your teams on the tactical part of the sport of soccer, be patient.  Many of today’s high school players, college players, and even the younger ones, want to only focus on the final score and see the highlights of the goals scored.  But, if we begin to train our players to “read” how the goal was scored, or how we gave the goal up…you will find that you are developing a more intelligent player who will be more beneficial to his/her team and his/her coach.

-Brian Carter – Head Soccer Coach, Kaufman High School  bio